Thread drying apparatus



Dec. 21, 1948. r. s. MAYNER ET AL THREAD nnymwnmwrus' Filed Nov. 27, 1946 MAT R WP Y on TE. B

Patented Dec. 21, 1948 THREAD DRYING APPARATUS Thomas S. Mayner, Willoughby Township, Lake County, and E. Paul Hurayt, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application November 27, 1946, Serial No. 712,477

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an apparatus for drying thread or the like and, more particularly to an apparatus having a generally circular heated periphery over which the thread or the like is adapted to pass.

In the manufacture of thread or the like, for instance rayon, by the continuous process, a plurality of treating steps are performed on the thread in a rapid and sequential manner. One of these steps constitutes the drying of the thread. it is, of course, desirable to rapidly, uniformly and efiectively dry the thread continually at a rate comparable to that of the other treatments performed on the thread. To eflect such dryin there should be a rapid and constant transfer of heat to the thread from the surface of the reels over which it travels.

'Zhread-dryihg reels are usually heated by fluids such as steam or hot water, hot oil or hot gases.

These heating fluids are used in either open or clcmed type thread-drying devices. Generally, the closed type of thread-drying device is preferable inasmuch as it is more economical, efilcient and safer to use. Although such drying devices are advantageous, they are not as efficient as they could bebecause the distances from their interior wherein the heating fluid circulates to the thread on the surface of the device are greater than desired, the distances causing certain heat losses. It is obvious, of course, that the longer the distance through which heat is transmitted the greater is the heat loss. If a predetermined temperature is to be maintained on the surface of the reel or of the drying device, then any heat lost because of distance through which the heat is transmitted must be compensated for by an increase in the temperature of the heating fluid or an increase in its circulation. Then, if the heat transfer distance of the reel is reduced to a practical minimum, the heat loss is materially reduced and the efiiciency of an internally heated reel is advantageously improved.

it is the purpose of this invention to provide a thread -drying device such as a cantilever-type thread-storing, thread-advancing reel wherein the heating fluid circulates internally of the reel that there occurs a minimum loss of heat in its periphery in close proximity to the thread. Ad-

transfer.

Generally, the drying reel is comprised of two sets of longitudinal tubular thread-bearing members positioned in an interdigitating relation through which the heating medium is continuously circulated. Such a construction advantageously provides for a rapid transfer of heat, and a minimum loss of heat. The invention and its advantages will be more readily understood by reference to the following description and attached drawing where: v

Figure 1 represents, in elevation, a cantilever type thread-storing, thread-advancing, drying reel;

Figure 2 represents a cross section in elevation of the drying reel of Figure 1 as taken on line 2-42 of Figure 4.

Figure 3 isa section of Figure 1 taken along line 3-3; and

Figure e is a section of Figure 1 taken along line i- 3.

Referring to the drawing, the reel is formed of two generally cylindrical reel members i0 and i i. Reel member it is mounted concentrically on shaft 62 to rotate therewith. "The reel member is formed of a plurality of longitudinal tubular thread-bearing members ll circular or of some other shape which are supported in end supports it and iii. The end supports it and is are, in turn, positioned on the shaft it, being frlctionally bound thereto through double seals Ell, M as will be hereinafter described, thus affixing the reel member id to the shaft 52.

The supporting member 69 is fitted to the shaft it upon which it is mounted and to which it is affixed by the binding seals 2%. Similarly, the front supporting member i8 is fitted to the shaft and irictionally bound thereto by the seals it. A cap 23 is drawn against the front supporting member it by means of a threaded bolt 24 in the end of the shaft l2 forcing both of the seals 20 and 28, into the supporting members. Since the supporting members is and iii are concentric to r the shaft it, they support the thread-bearing members i? of the reel member it in a concentric manner about shaft H2.

The reel member I I periphery is also formed of a plurality of longitudinal tubular thread-bearing members 28 which are positioned in an interdigitating relation with the tubular thread-bear-' ing members I! of the reel member l0. As shown, a pair of tubular bar members 28 advantagcousy comprise but one tubular member having a 180 bend at the unsupported end of the reel. Further, the members 28 are supported at one'end in the sealing rings 21, 28 of a flange 3|A. in which they are firmly positioned, and at the other end the thread-bearing members are reinforced by means of a circular ring 30. The ring provides the necessary rigidity required to that end of the reel member ii to offset the tension produced in the drying yarn or thread. The sealing rings 21. 28 are attached to the flange 3|A of the hub member 3| by means of bolts 32. Hub member 3| is adapted to rotate on a pair of antifriction roller bearings 33, 34 which are mounted on a generally circular eccentrically positioned member 35. The eccentric member 36 positions the reel member I I in an askew and offset relation to the concentric reel member ID which relationship causes the two reel members when rotated to advance threads over their combined peripheries in a number of generally helical turns.

As shown in Figure 2, the eccentric reel member II is mounted on the eccentric to rotate thereon. The concentric reel member by being fixed to the shaft [2 is therefore adapted to retate reel member I either through frictional bar contact or through a gear 38 fixed to the eccentric reel member flange 29 whose teeth bear against the radial sections forming the end supporting member IS.

The concentric reel member ill is adapted to be heated by circulating a heating fluid through the longitudinal tubular thread-bearing member IT. The heating fluid is furnished to the members I through a shaft conduit 88, and shaft openings 38 which communicate with the radial passages of the rear supporting member l3. After circulating through passages 8| of the bar members H, the heating fluid is exhausted through passages 42 in the front supporting member |8, then through the openings E3 of the shaft l2 into a central shaft exhaustpassage 4%. Since the passages Al in bar members H are so near the periphery of the reel, there is substantially an immediate transfer of heat to the thread. The thickness of the tubular members I! carrying the thread is the distance through which the heat from the circulating fluid is transmitted.

Reel member I, as stated hereinbefore, is also composed of tubular thread-bearing members 28. These thread-bearing members terminate in and are supported in an annular ring 29 which is annularly indented and which with flange 3|A forms a chamber which is supplied with a heating fluid. The heating fluid then enters into one thread-bearing member 28 and returns through another such member into another annular chamber 41 formed by the complementary the radial conduits 5'! 5|, 54, 58 and 60, are desirably and suitably sealed from each other and from the exterior to prevent any heating fluid leakage. aforesaid means, heating fluid is supplied to the passages 48, in the thread-bearing members 28, and exhausted therefrom.

The thread-bearing surface of the tubular. members l1 and 28 may be enlarged, if desired, by either flattening the tubular sections or cutting off some of the surface. Further, the shape of the bar members can be rectangular or of some other design providing, however, that the heating fluid passages are of sufficient size to providefor an adequate flow of a heating fluid. Also,

the supporting ring 30 of reel member may. if desired, be hollow and the bar member 28 adapted to terminate therein.

There is, of course, a simultaneous circulation of a heating fluid through both sets of threadbearing members since their supply is from the same source. Thus, heat derived'from the circulating fluid is applied to the thread from substantially a full periphery formed by the tubular members. Such an immediate and thorough application of heat serves to more quickly dry the advancing thread at a rate easily comparable to that of the other treatments performed on the thread.

w The invention has been described in connection rings 21, 29. The tubular members 28 are suitably sealed in the ring members 21, 29 and flange 3 IA as well as the adjacent annular manifolds or chambers 45 and 41 from themselves. The annular manifold 45 is adapted to serve as a heating fluid supply source for passages 46 of the thread-bearing members 28 while manifold 51 is adapted to serve as an exhaust manifold.

The manifold 45 is supplied with heating fluid through radial conduits which communicate with an annular chamber 5|, formed by and between thehub member3l and the eccentric member 35. The annular manifold or chamber 5| in turn communicates through passages 52 with a second interiorily formed chamber 54 formed by and between the eccentric member 35 and the shaft l2, and which chamber encompasses the heating fluid inlets 55 in the supply shaft l2.

The exhaust manifold 41 is emptied through with a cantilever type drying apparatus. It is not, however, to be considered as being limited thereto. The invention can readily be embodied in .drying apparatuses that are supported from both ends. Also, the thread drying apparatus may be of the canted double roller type or the single roller type with assisting guides for effecting an advancement of thread. In each of these, heating fluids can be caused to circulate immediately adjacent their peripheries as, for instance, through an annular space made by concentric cylinders.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for drying thread or the like comprising a reel embodying two intcrdigitatlng sets of hollow heating medium conducting thread-bearing members, said thread-bearing members serving as conduits for a heating medium adapted to flow therethrough, and a heating medium supplying and exhausting means for said hollow heating medium conducting thread bearing members.

2. An apparatus for drying thread or the like comprising a reel embodying two interdigitating sets of hollow heating medium conducting thread-bearing members disposed in an askew and offset relation to each other, said threadbearing members serving as conduits for a heating medium adapted'to flow therethrough, and a heating medium supplying and exhausting means for said hollow heating medium conducting thread bearing members.

3. An apparatus for drying thread or the like comprising a reel embodying two interdigitat ing sets of hollow thread-bearing members, a shaft on which said reel is mounted, conduits in Thus, through the said shaft for supplying and exhausting a heating medium, and means communicating with said conduits of said shaft and said hollow threadbearing members for supplying and exhausting said heating medium to and from said sets of hollow thread-bearing members.

4. An apparatus for drying thread or the like comprising a reel embodying two interdigitating sets of hollow thread-bearing members disposed in an offset and askew relation to each other, a shaft on which said reel is mounted, conduits in said shaft for supplying and exhausting a heating medium to and from said hollow threadbearing members, and separate means Joining said shaft conduits and each of said sets of hollow thread-bearing members for supplying and exhausting said heating medium from said hol-- ing members, and means at one end of said second set of hollow bar members Joining the other of said shaft inlets and outlets.

6. A cantilever type thread-storing thread-advancing drying apparatus comprising a reel embodying two interdigitating sets of hollow threadbearing members, a shaft for supporting said reel, said shaft having heating fluid inlets and outlets, one of said'sets of hollow bar members being concentric with said shaft, means at substantially either end of said concentrically posi tioned thread-bearing members for supporting said thread-bearing members, said concentric hollow thread-bearing member supports having passages communicating with certain of said shaft heating fluid inlets and outlets. a generally circular supporting means for said second sets of hollow thread-bearing members mounted about said shaft and positioned at one end of both of said sets of hollow thread-bearing members, said last thread-bearing member supporting means having passages communicating with the other of said shaft heating fluid inlets and outlets, and

conduits joining said passages in said last supporting means with said second set of hollow thread-bearing members.

7. A thread-advancing thread storing drying apparatus adapted to be supported from one end only comprising a reel embodying two interdigitating sets of hollow thread-bearing members disposed in an offset and askew relation to each other, a-shaft having two sets of heating fluid inlets and outlets supporting said reel, one of said sets of hollow thread-bearing members being concentrically mounted about said shaft. means positioned hollow thread-bearing members, said hollow member supporting means having passages joining one of said sets of shaft heating fluid inlet and outlets with said concentrically positioned hollow thread-bearing members, means about said shaft and at one end of said reel for supporting said second set of hollow thread-bearing members, said second set supporting means having passages communicated with said second set of shaft heating fluid inlets and outlets, and conduits joining said passages in said second supporting means with said second set of hollow thread-bearing members.

8. A thread advancing thread storing drying apparatus supported from one end only comprising a reel embodying two interdigitating sets of hollow thread-bearing members disposed in an offset and askew relation to each other, a shaft having two sets'of heating fluid inlets and outlets for supporting said reel, one of said sets of hollow thread-bearing members being concentrically mounted about said shaft, means on said shaft and at each end of said set of hollow thread-bearing member for supporting said set of concentrically positioned hollow thread-bearing members, said hollow thread-bearing member supporting means having passages for the flow of a heating fluid therethrough and encompassing one of said sets of shaft heating fluid inlets and outlets, means about said shaft and at one end of said reel adapted to support said second set of hollow thread-bearing members in an offset and askew relation to said concentrically positioned set of hollow thread-bearing members, said second set of hollow thread-bearing member supp rting means being stationary and encompassing said second set of shaft heating fluid inlets and outlets, a hub member rotatably mounted on said stationary supporting means, a flange on said hub member in which are flxed the said second set of hollow thread-bearing members, passages in said stationary supporting means and in said hub member communicating with said second set of shaft heating fluid inlets and outlets, and conduits terminating in the hub member and in the flange joining said passages in said hub member with said second set of hollow thread-bearing members in the flange. THOMAS S. MAYNER. E. PAUL HURAYT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 638,993 Schrader et al Dec. 12, 1899 923,777 Delubac June 1. 1909 1,820,621 Junkers Aug. 25, 1931 1,983,221 Fumess Dec. 4, 1934 2,309,771 Jordan Feb. 2, 1943 

